Gimme Shelter Quotes

Stefan Ponek: I think we've got one of the Hell's Angels on the line. Sonny Barger? Have I got that right, Sonny?

Sonny Barger: Yeah.

Stefan Ponek: Okay. What's up?

Sonny Barger: I didn't go there to police nuthin', man! I ain't no cop! I ain't never pretended to be a cop and this Mick Jagger, like, put it all on the Angels, man. Like, he used us for dupes, man. And as far as I'm concerned, we were the biggest suckers for that idiot that I can ever see. And, you know what, they told me, if I could sit on the edge of the stage so nobody climbed over me, you know, I could drink beer until the show was over. And that's what I went there to do.

MSG Announcer: [Opening lines] Everybody seems to be ready. Are you ready? The first time in three years, the greatest rock-n-roll band in world: The Rolling Stones! The Rolling Stones.

Mick Jagger: We gonna have a look at ya. We're gonna see how beautiful you are! Woo! Alright. Oh, New York City, you talk a lot. Let's have a look at ya. Let's have a look at New York City. Woo! Well, alright! Welcome to the breakfast show!

[singing]

Mick Jagger: I was born in cross-fire hurricane, And I howled with my morning driving rain, But it's all right, yeah it's alright, In fact, it's a gas...

Mick Jagger: Well, alright!

[drumroll]

Mick Jagger: Charlie's good tonight, idn't he?

Sam Cutler: The Angels did the... best in a difficult situation, as far as I'm concerned. They were people who were there who tried to help in their own way. Right? You know, if people didn't dig it, I'm sorry.

Stefan Ponek: That was Sam Cutler, one of the organizers of the Altamont free concert.

Stefan Ponek: KSAN Radio here. The violence at Altamont was completely unexpected. The Rolling Stones had performed for overflow audiences, without incident, in major cities across the United States.

Mick Jagger: [cut to Madison Square Garden - in concert] Okay, baby.

[singing]

Mick Jagger: I can't get no satisfaction...

Mick Jagger: Well, alright!

[drum roll]

Mick Jagger: Well, alright!

[drum roll]

Mick Jagger: Well, alright!

[drum roll]

Mick Jagger: Well, alright!

[drum roll]

Mick Jagger: Woo! Woo!

Female Reporter: Are you any more satisfied now, as far as your career goes?

Mick Jagger: Do you mean, do you mean sexually or philosophically?

Female Reporter: Both.

Mick Jagger: Yeah, we are more satisfied now, sexually,

Female Reporter: How about philosophically and financially?

Mick Jagger: Financially - dissatisfied. You know, sexually - satisfied. Philosophically - trying.

Male Reporter: I read in one of the papers that you'll be giving a free concert in San Francisco?

Mick Jagger: We are doing a free concert in San Francisco.

Male Reporter: When?

Mick Jagger: On December sixth. And the location is not Golden Gate Park, unfortunately, but, its somewhere adjacent to it - which is a bit larger. It's creating a sort of microcosmic society. You know, which it sets an example to the rest of America as to how one can behave in nice gatherings.

Racetrack Owner: My first area of policy concern: I do not want the gesture, on the part of Mr. Jagger, to cost me five cents. If a blade of grass is torn down, they are going to build it up again. You know. I was involved in Woodstock. I have represented rock groups. And I've been involved both as an attorney and as an executive with festivals. No matter what anybody tells you, they're a pain in the ass.

Melvin Belli: Don't turn me into a proctologist. Just tell me what I can do here.

Racetrack Owner: Look, somebody tell me why I should want to get this concert going?

Melvin Belli: Are you trying to make it so that they can't do this? Is...

Racetrack Owner: No, I want it to happen; but, I'm not prepared to have to rebuild my god damn racetrack.

Mick Jagger: We're gonna do a slow blues for you now, people.

[singing]

Mick Jagger: Well I followed her to the station, With a suitcase in my hand, Yeah, and I followed her to the station, With a suitcase in my hand, You know it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, When all your love's in vain, Cry on baby...

Male Reporter: Is this going to be Woodstock West?

Michael Lang - Concert Organizer: Well, it's going to be San Francisco.

Male Reporter: Do you have any special feelings about this kind of a concert - this spontaneous free...

Mick Jagger: Well, it's not, so much, I don't think, the concert, the concert's just sort of, I think the concert's an excuse. You know, because, like, the thing is, it's just like everyone coming and having a good time and the concert's not actually like the proscenium of the theatre, it's like an excuse for everyone to sort of, you know, get together and, like, talk to each other and sleep with each other and ball each other and get very stoned and just have a nice night out and good day, you know. I mean, you know, do you understand? It's not just like getting out there and seein' the Grateful Airplane and the, sort of, Rolling, Rolling, - Rolling Dead.

Tina Turner: [singing] Baby, I'll even buy you anything you want, anything you want me to buy.

Ike Turner: But you got what I want.

Tina Turner: But you got what I want.

Ike Turner: And you got what I need.

Tina Turner: And, baby, you, you got what I need.

Ike Turner: And I want you to give it to me.

Tina Turner: And I want you to, I want you to give it to me. If you just, just stay with me and make me stay here. Oh, baby! Oh, oh, baby. Oh, wee! Baby. Oh, just - sock it. Sock it! Sock it to me, baby! Oh!

Mick Jagger: Far out! Sorry you had to wait.

[singing]

Mick Jagger: I met a gin-soaked, bar-room queen in Memphis, She tried to take me upstairs for a ride, She had to heave me right across her shoulder, Cause I just can't seem to drink you off my mind...

Grace Slick: It's alright. It's kind of weird up here.

Paul Kantner: Hey, man, I'd like to mention that the Hell's Angels just smashed Marty Balin in the face and knocked him out for a bit. I'd like to thank you for that.

Grace Slick: There is - eh - other ways...

Sonny Barger: Wait - is this on? If you talk to me, I'm gonna talk to you.

Paul Kantner: I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to the people who hit my lead singer in the head.

Sonny Barger: You're talking to my people. Let me tell you what's happening. You - is what's happening! Hey! Ho!

[Hell's Angel's beating audience members with pool cues in front of the stage]

Grace Slick: No! No, stop it!

Sonny Barger: You know what's happening?

Jerry Garcia: Oh, that's what the story is here?

Michael Shrieve: Yeah.

Jerry Garcia: Oh, bummer.

Michael Shrieve: Really, man. I mean, like, it's scary.

Phil Lesh: Who's doing all the beating?

Michael Shrieve: Hell's Angels.

Phil Lesh: Hell's Angels doing beating on musicians?

Michael Shrieve: Marty got beat up. Hit in the face.

Phil Lesh: It doesn't seem right, man.

Michael Shrieve: It's really weird, man. It's really weird.

Jerry Garcia: Oh, man. Really?

Mick Jagger: Oh, babies. There's so many of you. Just be cool down in front and don't push around. Just keep still. Keep it together. Oh, yeah.

[singing]

Mick Jagger: Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste, I've been around for a long, long year, Stole many a man's soul to waste, And I was 'round when Jesus Christ, Had his moment of doubt and pain.

Mick Jagger: [fight breaks out in front of the stage] Hey! Hey, Keith! Keith! Keith. Keith, will you cool it and I'll try and stop it.

[band stops playing]

Mick Jagger: Hey, people. Sisters. Brothers and sisters. Brothers and sisters. Come on, now. That means everybody just cool out! Will you cool out, everybody. I know. Everybody, be cool now. Come on. Alright? How are we doing over there? Alright? Can we still make it down the front? Is there anyone there that's hurt, huh? Everyone alright? Okay? Alright. I think we are cool. We can go. We always havin' something very funny happens when we start that number.

[singing]

Mick Jagger: Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste...

Mick Jagger: Every other scene has been cool.

Keith Richards: Look, cat! That guy, there, if he doesn't stop it, man. Listen, either those cats cool it, man, or we don't play.

Mick Jagger: [singing] Say, it's alright. Hey, say it's alright. Now, I pray that it's alright. I pray that it's alright. I pray that it's alright. It's alright.

[another fight breaks out in front of the stage and band stops playing]

Keith Richards: Hey, now look, we're splitting. You know, if those cats can't, if you people, we're splitting, man, if those cats don't stop beatin' everybody up in sight. I want them out of the way, man.

David Maysles: [looking at tape recording of the stabbing] Could you see what's happening there?

Mick Jagger: No, you couldn't see anything. Where - it was another scuffle.

David Maysles: There's the Angel right there with the knife.

Mick Jagger: Where's the gun?

David Maysles: I'll roll it back. You'll see it against the girl's crocheted dress.

Mick Jagger: Oh, it's there, isn't it. Wow. It's so horrible.